Drinking cup that attaches to a beverage can for closure and protection

ABSTRACT

A drinking cup with a gripping mechanism that allows it to attach to a beverage can for closure to minimize the amount of dissolved gases escape from a carbonated beverage and for protection to minimize the amount of beverage spillage when the can is inadvertently dropped or tilted sideways. The drinking cup is designed with thick and thin sections that extend vertically around the outside of the cup to provide sufficient rigidity and flexibility to allow it to operate as a drinking cup and as a cover that snaps on to and off from the top of a beverage can.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

A wide variety of carbonated beverages, beer, juice, and many other drinks are packaged and sold widely in thin-walled cans made of aluminum. The aluminum cans have a sheet metal top with a can-opening mechanism that includes a lever or pull tab riveted at one end to the top. Lifting the free end of the lever or pull tab causes a weakly connected portion of the top to be pressed with enough force to break it to create an opening through which the drink can be dispensed or consumed. The sheet metal top of the can is attached to the upper edge of the sidewall of the can along the top rim. The top is connected to the sidewall of the can with a crimped bead which creates a gas-tight seal strong enough to contain the beverage and prevent the dissolved gases from carbonated beverages from escaping.

However, once broken, the opening of the can cannot be resealed by restoring the original seal. Therefore, once opened, a partly empty can cannot be safely transported without the risk of spilling the remaining contents. In essence, the consumer is obligated to consume the entire drink at once or throw away the partially empty can unable to store it safely for later. This is particularly disadvantageous in the course of a sport or recreational event or during transport in a vehicle.

Another disadvantage of the cans is that many consumers often do not have cups available to pour the beverage into before drinking it. Therefore, consumers often drink the beverage directly out of the can. Although the cans are filled under very strict hygienic conditions, once they are filled and sealed, the top of the can is subjected to atmospheric pollution in the course of storage and transportation. When the beverage is consumed directly from the can, it is usually necessary to rest one's lips on the can's rim. In view of the atmospheric pollution that the can is exposed during storage and transportation, the rim of the can may not be in the best conditions of cleanliness and hygiene for allowing the liquid to run thereover or for resting one's lips thereagainst without danger of contacting microbs or bacteria.

Molded plastic lids to cover beverage cans are widely available in the marketplace. Such lids are generally flat and circular with sidewalls that fit snugly over and around the opened top of a beverage can. Such lids may be effective to cover and protect the top of the can from microbs and bacteria. However, they are not effective to reduce spillage when the can is accidentally dropped nor are they an effective tool to use as a cup from which the beverage can be drunk.

The placing of a cup in inverted position over the top of the opened can is a stopgap measure which can prevent entry of insects, dust, and other foreign matter. However, a regular cup placed in inverted position over the can does not lock or grab on to the can. Therefore the cup can easily fall off during transport or as it sits inside a moving vehicle. Furthermore, the shape of a regular cup does not follow the contours of a beverage can so that when it is placed over the can, it is loose and may have a tendency to shift around significantly.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,410 describes a drinking cup with closures for open bottles and/or cans. The drinking cup in the '410 patent has a locking mechanism or a closure which can attach and seal the opened can from the surrounding atmosphere. The closure or locking mechanism comprises at least one annular seal that engages the top wall portion of the can or the crimped bead that connects the top of the can to the sidewall of the can. The cup is substantially cylindrical and the annular seal is continuous and revolves around the entire inside surface of the cup. However, the substantially cylindrical shape of the cup adds to the rigidity of the cup so that the annular seal is more difficult to engage and disengage from the top of the can. A possible solution to the rigidity of the cup is to manufacture it with a flexible material. Unfortunately, due to the design of the cup it is difficult to find the proper material which will provide enough flexibility to allow the locking mechanism or closure to function properly but not too flexible that makes it difficult for a consumer to drink out of the cup without inadvertently squeezing it enough to spill the beverage.

Unless these and other practical problems associated with this technology are resolved, the efficiency and benefits from using a drinking cup that mechanically attaches to opened cans for closure and protection will fail to be realized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned disadvantages occurring in the prior art, and it is the object of the present invention to provide a drinking cup with a gripping mechanism that allows it to attach to a beverage can for closure to minimize the amount of dissolved gases from carbonated beverages from escaping and for protection to minimize the amount of beverage spillage when the can is inadvertently dropped or tilted sideways.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a drinking cup that is rigid enough to keep it from being collapsed or deformed inadvertently as the user drinks from it but flexible enough to allow the sidewall to flex and allow the gripping mechanism attach to and detach from the top of a beverage can.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a drinking cup that when attached to the top of a beverage can serve to stabilize another beverage can that is stacked on top of it for easy and stable transport and storage.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a drinking cup that has a radial bead on the top rim to allow a smooth rounded surface which the user's lips touch as he/she drinks the beverage.

To accomplish the above objects, the present invention is embodied in a drinking cup comprising a sidewall that has alternating thick and thin sections that run vertically all around it, a gripping mechanism molded to the inside surface that allows the drinking cup to grab or grip the top of an aluminum beverage can for closure and protection during transportation, a round annular bead at the top rim of the drinking cup to create a smooth and comfortable surface for when the consumer's lips make contact to drink the beverage, an annular ring on the base of the cup that protrudes downward to improve stability of the cup as it rests on a surface and to allow another beverage can to be stacked on top of another can with the cup attached, and finally a sidewall that is sized to form a seal with the top portion of the can so that the beverage spillage is minimized when inadvertently dropped or tilted sideways and also to minimize the escape of dissolved gasses from a carbonated beverage.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a drinking cup that attaches to a beverage can for closure and protection and having sidewalls that are drafted or angled sideways whereby the radius of the sidewall at the base of the cup is smaller than the radius of the sidewall at the top of the cup. The drafted sidewalls would allow multiple drinking cups according to the present invention to be nested on top of each other as a means to save space during transport and storage.

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of the various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functional similar elements. A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a drinking cup that mechanically attaches to an opened beverage can for closure and protection according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a drinking cup that mechanically attaches to an opened beverage can for closure and protection according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a drinking cup according to the present invention mechanically attached to a beverage can for closure and protection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the drawings in which various elements of the present invention will be given numerical designations and in which the invention will be discussed so as to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is designed and engineered to be a non-collapsible drinking cup 100 with a sidewall 10 that has alternating thick sections 15 and thin sections 16 that run vertically all around the drinking cup 100 and a gripping mechanism 20 molded to the inside surface 17 that allows the drinking cup 100 to grab or grip the top of an aluminum beverage can 200 for closure and protection. The inside surface 17 is designed to be smooth. The outside of the sidewall 10, however, is designed with multiple steps 13 to accommodate the alternating thick sections 15 and thin sections 16. The thick sections 15 are more rigid and designed to provide structural integrity. The thin sections 16 are less rigid and designed to provide some structural flexibility. The dimensional widths of the thick sections 15 and the thin sections 16 are optimized to accommodate the proper level of structural flexibility and rigidity depending on the material being used to mold the drinking cup 100. The drinking cup 100 should have enough structural rigidity so that it does not inadvertently collapse or deform as one is drinking from it. At the same time, the drinking cup 100 should have sufficient flexibility so that it may deform in a specified direction to attach or detach it from the can 200 whenever one squeezes or applies pressure to the sidewall 10.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a drinking cup 100 according to the present invention. The gripping mechanism is molded toward the bottom of the inside surface 17 of the drinking cup 100 and consists of various triangular beads 25. The triangular beads 25 extend horizontally across the inside surface of only the thin sections 16. The inside surface of the thick sections 15 do not have any beads or other features. However, it is also possible to place the triangular beads 25 only within the thick sections 15 and maintain the similar functionality.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outermost corner 25 a of the triangular beads 25 are designed to snap underneath the crimped bead 210 at the top of the can 200. It is preferred that the first edge 25 b of the triangular beads 25 is molded flat and perpendicular to the inside surface 17 of the drinking cup 100. The second edge 25 c of the triangular beads 25 should be longer and vertically inclined downward.

Closure and protection of an opened beverage can 200 is achieved by inverting the drinking cup 100 of the present invention and placing it over the can 200 as it sits on a stable flat surface. Once the inverted drinking cup 100 is placed over the can 200, the palm of a hand can be used to apply uniform downward pressure across the bottom surface 30 of the drinking cup 100. As the pressure is applied, the thin sections 16 provide sufficient flexibility to properly deform so as to allow the top of the can 200 to be directed by the second edge 25 c past the triangular beads 25. Ultimately, the outermost corner 25 a and the first edge 25 b of the triangular beads 25 snap underneath the crimped bead 210 to securely grab or grip the can 200.

Once the drinking cup 100 securely grabs the can 200, the triangular beads 25 fill the space between the top of the can 200 and inside surface 17 within the thin sections 16. However, since the triangular beads 25 are not molded in the thick sections 15, there are unfilled gaps between the top of the can 200 and the inside surface 17 within the thick sections 15. In addition, the outside of the drinking cup 100 has multiple steps 13 that allow the thick sections 15 to protrude out further than the thin sections 16. Therefore, as the drinking cup 100 is squeezed around the can 200, the unfilled gaps between the thick sections 15 and the can 200 allow the thick sections 15 to displace inward. Furthermore, as the thick sections 15 are displaced inward, the flexibility of the thin sections 16 allow some of the triangular beads 25 to displace outward sufficiently for the outermost corner 25 a to move past the crimped bead 210 of the can 200. Finally, while squeezing the drinking cup 100, the user pulls it upward so that the triangular beads 25 are pulled out from underneath the crimped bead 210 of the can 200 thus releasing the drinking cup 100 from the can 200.

Unlike the drinking cup according to the present invention, U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,410 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,114 teach a drinking cup and cap, respectively, with closure for open cans with at least one bead molded to the inside surface that creates a continuous annular seal. The bead revolves continuously around the inside surface of the cup. Such a continuous bead is difficult to flex or displace so that the cup can be attached to or detached from the can. The flexibility of the design in the '410 and '114 patents is dependent mostly on the type of material used. This makes it difficult to attain the right flexibility to be able to displace the bead so that the cup can be easily attached to and detached from the can and the right rigidity so that the cup is not inadvertently squeezed while the user drinks the beverage so as to cause sufficient deformation of the drinking cup that causes the beverage to spill. The triangular beads 25 in the present invention are not continuous and the sidewall 10 has thick sections 15 and thin sections 16. Thus making it easier to attain the right combination of flexibility and rigidity for optimized functionality of the drinking cup 100.

As shown in FIG. 3, the drinking cup according to the present invention also has a seal to minimize the escape of the gaseous ingredients of a carbonated beverage and to minimize the spillage of the beverage when it is accidentally dropped or tilted sideways. The seal is created by the bottom section 40 of the inside surface 17 of the drinking cup 100 and the sidewall of the can 220. The bottom section 40 of the drinking cup 100 is contoured completely vertical with an inner diameter that is almost the same as the outer diameter of the can 200 so that it creates a friction seal with the can 200 as the drinking cup 100 is forced down on top of the can 200.

Since the bottom section 40 of the drinking cup 100 is almost the same diameter as the can 200, the rest of the sidewall 10 of the drinking cup 100 is enlarged by at least 0.125 inches outward. The enlarged portion of the sidewall 10 allows the drinking cup 100 to be placed over the beverage can 200 more easily without frictional interference between the inside surface 17 and the can 200.

In addition, the top rim of the drinking cup 100 has a round annular bead 50 to create a smooth and comfortable surface for when the consumer's lips make contact to drink the beverage. The annular bead 50 has a circular cross-section with a diameter that is slightly thicker than the thick sections 15.

Finally, the bottom surface 30 of the drinking cup 100 has an annular ring 65 that protrudes downward about 0.1 inches to improve the stability of the cup 100 as it rests on a surface and to also improve the stability of another beverage can 200 that is stacked on top of the inverted drinking cup 100. The diameter of the annular ring 65 is designed so that it fits within the typical concave bottom 250 of a beverage can 200. The height of the annular ring 65 is designed to provide some stability to the can 200 that is stacked on top of the drinking cup 100.

An alternative embodiment of the drinking cup 100 of the present invention has the bottom section 40 of the sidewall of the drinking cup 100 that is vertical but the rest of the sidewall 10 of the drinking cup 100 is angled at least 3 degrees outward. The angle in the sidewall 10 allows the drinking cup 100 to be injection molded more easily and it allows the drinking cup 100 to be stackable. Thus, multiple drinking cups 100 may be stacked or nested with each other for better storage.

It is to be understood that the described embodiment of the invention is illustrative only and that modifications thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, this invention is not to be regarded as limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is to be limited only as defined by the appended claims herein. 

1. A drinking cup for use with a can having a top section that includes an outwardly extending bead and comprising a top rim; a base; a tubular sidewall with an inside surface and having a plurality of thick sections and thin sections extending vertically from said top rim to said base; a bead protruding from said inside surface of said tubular sidewall within said thin sections; and wherein said bead of said drinking cup engages through a snapping action said outwardly extending bead of said can when said drinking cup is placed over said can upside down so that said top section of said can is confined inside said drinking cup.
 2. The drinking cup according to claim 1, further comprising a circular bead that radially extends throughout said top rim.
 3. The drinking cup according to claim 1, further comprising a ring protruding downward from said base.
 4. The drinking cup according to claim 1, further comprising a bottom section of said tubular sidewall that is in sealing contact with said top section of said can when said drinking cup is placed over said can upside down so that said top section of said can is confined inside said drinking cup.
 5. The drinking cup according to claim 4, wherein said tubular sidewall has a larger diameter at said top rim than at said bottom section.
 6. The drinking cup according to claim 1, wherein said tubular sidewall has a larger diameter at said top rim than at said base.
 7. A drinking cup for use with a can having a top section that includes an outwardly extending bead and comprising a top rim; a base; a tubular sidewall with an inside surface and having a plurality of thick sections and thin sections extending vertically from said top rim to said base; a bead protruding from said inside surface of said tubular sidewall within said thick sections; and wherein said bead of said drinking cup engages through a snapping action said outwardly extending bead of said can when said drinking cup is placed over said can upside down so that said top section of said can is confined inside said drinking cup.
 8. The drinking cup according to claim 7, further comprising a circular bead that radially extends throughout said top rim.
 9. The drinking cup according to claim 7, further comprising a ring protruding downward from said base.
 10. The drinking cup according to claim 7, further comprising a bottom section of said tubular sidewall that is in sealing contact with said top section of said can when said drinking cup is placed over said can upside down so that said top section of said can is confined inside said drinking cup.
 11. The drinking cup according to claim 10, wherein said tubular sidewall has a larger diameter at said top rim than at said bottom section.
 12. The drinking cup according to claim 7, wherein said tubular sidewall has a larger diameter at said top rim than at said base. 